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firewall on both computers?

i am thinking about networking my computer with my parents 1 over ethernet so i can use the internet from my computer up stairs, saving me having to use theirs all the time. if i were to do this would i need a firewall on my computer, or is it sufficient just having a firewall on the computer connected to the interent?

Well your potentially OK with the Firewall on the computer that is physically connected to the internet, but it never hurts to be safe. Install a Firewall such as Zonealarm or Tiny on your machine as well.

that depends very much as to whether you seen your parents PC as a potential threat to your PC's safety... do you want share files with the other PC? there are a miriad of questions to be asked before a yes / no answer can be given. If in doubt it cant do any harm but you may find it makes life more complicated to set up with more than one

DjM is right if you only have one computer directly connected to the internet, it acts like a gateway for the other. If you have a setup like me where both computers have separate ip's and each are directly on the internet then you should have one on each to be safe.

Re: firewall on both computers?

Originally posted here by -=[JEBUS]=- i am thinking about networking my computer with my parents 1 over ethernet so i can use the internet from my computer up stairs, saving me having to use theirs all the time. if i were to do this would i need a firewall on my computer, or is it sufficient just having a firewall on the computer connected to the interent?

thanks in advance for any help

How are you planning on doing the networking? By your initial post, it sounds as if you are planning to share their Internet connection. But just in case it's not going to be an ICS connection, here are some questions: are you planning to install another NIC in your parent's computer and run a crossover cable straight from your machine to theirs, are you going to use a network hub and run straight thru Cat5 from the machines to the hub, are you on dialup or cable - if on cable, are you going to purchase a router/switch and network that way?

The answer to your question depends on what kind of setup you will be configuring. Respond back with the setup you plan to implement and I can be of some better help. For a basic answer to your questions, it certainly won't hurt anything to run a software firewall on both computers.